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Statement from BCA Chairman Perry Hand

Business Council of Alabama Chairman Perry Hand released the following statement after Monday’s executive committee meeting in which the organization adopted a “succession plan.” CEO Billy Canary is set to retire when his contract is up in 2020.

“The Executive Committee and Officers of the Business Council of Alabama met today in a face-to-face discussion entitled “Planning our Future.”  Now is the time for our organization to create its own plan of action for our future governance and leadership.  BCA has never had a President and Chief Executive Officer “Succession Plan” and frankly we’ve not made these transitions well throughout our 30+ years of existence.  Our plan includes establishing strategic goals that will ensure unity for the business community as we enter the 2018 and 2020 election cycles and the 2019 legislative session.  Today’s discussion allowed us to get out of the rumor mill and discuss the past and future of our organization.  That’s a giant step in the right direction.  Our Board is going to do what’s in the best interest of the business community, and our discussions internally have been productive.

“Recently, false information has been disseminated by political bloggers making several erroneous claims, but one caught my attention when it stated that the BCA Executive Committee had voted to remove Billy Canary as president and CEO of our organization on April 10th. That statement is totally false. The Executive Committee has taken no such action. Billy Canary has a contract throughDecember 31, 2020.

“As a business advocacy organization, we continue to look to the future to create a climate in Alabama for new and existing businesses to locate or expand. Past success is no guarantee, but it does demonstrate how a united business community can accomplish worthwhile and satisfactory goals. The BCA represents the interests and concerns of nearly 1 million working Alabamians through its member companies that include businesses of all sizes and virtually every segment of Alabama’s business community-from manufacturing to retail, agriculture to financial services and many, many more. The BCA is Alabama’s exclusive representative to the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“Billy Canary’s tenure as president and CEO of the BCA is unparalleled in both his ability to take the BCA to the next level as well as his ability to coalesce the business community, build unique partnerships in the business community and build one of the largest political war chests in the state. Along the way, he has put together a great staff that has proven themselves over and over.

“The Executive Committee is extremely pleased with Billy Canary’s accomplishments for BCA over these past 15 years.  We and Billy are committed to a “Succession Plan” that will provide for an orderly transition of leadership.  That’s what good CEOs do.  Only the unthoughtful and the uninitiated would recommend the removal of a very successful leader without the proper planning in place to provide for the transition of leadership.  The BCA will not risk all we’ve accomplished to secure relief from bloggers and political pundits.

“One principle remains constant – the BCA’s guiding force is as important today as when first envisioned in 1985 when the BCA was created: We work together to create a vibrant economic climate and an educated workforce. These are the keys to creating and sustaining jobs for employees and their families.

“Look for the BCA to continue our advances for the business climate in Alabama as we transition to the future.”

A change is gonna come: BCA eyes orderly transition amid smear campaign

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